California · SOC 11-9041
Engineering Manager Salary in California
VerifiedPublished wages for engineering managers in California, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Engineering Managers in California earn a median of $201,810 per year ($205,610 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $163,030–$231,920; the top 10% earn at least $239,200. That is 20% above the national median of $167,740, ranking California #2 of 51 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$201,810
+20% vs national
Top 10% earn
≥$239,200
BLS topcodes at this level
Employed in state
30,690
Reliability High (3.1% RSE)
Engineering Manager pay distribution — California vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $132,880 | +19% |
| 25th percentile | $163,030 | +21% |
| Median50th percentile | $201,810 | +20% |
| 75th percentile | $231,920 | +12% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | ≥$239,200 | — |
| Meanaverage | $205,610 | +17% |
Where engineering managers earn most in California
Metro areas in California where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 11-9041. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| San JoseSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $226,940 | ≥$239,200 | 5,270 |
| San FranciscoSan Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $208,580 | ≥$239,200 | 6,380 |
| San Luis ObispoSan Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $200,820 | $230,400 | 200 |
| Santa MariaSanta Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $196,810 | ≥$239,200 | 330 |
| VallejoVallejo, CA | $190,480 | ≥$239,200 | 120 |
| SacramentoSacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $189,270 | ≥$239,200 | 1,680 |
| San DiegoSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $185,550 | ≥$239,200 | 3,690 |
| Los AngelesLos Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $181,400 | ≥$239,200 | 8,850 |
| Yuba CityYuba City, CA | $181,100 | $225,980 | 40 |
| NapaNapa, CA | $177,270 | ≥$239,200 | 30 |
| Santa RosaSanta Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $177,100 | ≥$239,200 | 200 |
| ModestoModesto, CA | $175,400 | $234,270 | 120 |
| ChicoChico, CA | $175,290 | $218,520 | 40 |
| Santa CruzSanta Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $174,700 | ≥$239,200 | 90 |
| BakersfieldBakersfield-Delano, CA | $173,450 | ≥$239,200 | 250 |
| ReddingRedding, CA | $170,970 | $219,990 | 60 |
| RiversideRiverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $170,180 | ≥$239,200 | 1,190 |
| OxnardOxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $169,770 | ≥$239,200 | 490 |
| StocktonStockton-Lodi, CA | $168,300 | $223,170 | 160 |
| SalinasSalinas, CA | $166,430 | ≥$239,200 | 70 |
| El CentroEl Centro, CA | $166,020 | $220,580 | 40 |
| VisaliaVisalia, CA | $163,560 | $220,550 | 60 |
| FresnoFresno, CA | $160,680 | $215,890 | 270 |
California engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
1.25
Jobs per 1,000
1.70
State rank (pay)
#2 of 51
All engineering roles
$154,208
A location quotient of 1.25 means California employs engineering managers at a meaningfully higher rate than the country as a whole — a genuine cluster for this discipline.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a engineering manager make in California?
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 11-9041 (Architectural and Engineering Managers), California (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →